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jaredkwheeler's review
4.0
Star Wars Legends Project #220
Background: Underworld: The Yavin Vassilika was released in November 2001, and collects the five-issue series (December 2000-June 2001). It was written by [a:Mike Kennedy|18523|Mike Kennedy|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] with art by [a:Carlos Meglia|18522|Carlos Meglia|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1579797567p2/18522.jpg]. Kennedy also wrote the Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan adventure The Aurorient Express and a couple other small things. Meglia did the art for one story from Tales.
The story is (technically) set a few months before the Battle of Yavin. The main characters are Han, Chewbacca, Lando, Bossk, IG-88, Zuckuss, 4-LOM, Dengar, Greedo, and Boba Fett. Jabba the Hutt also plays a major role. The story is set on several different planets, including Tatooine, Mon Calamari, and (of course) Yavin IV.
Summary: Three bored Hutts agree to settle a disagreement over who has the best business strategy with a wager. Each Hutt will send out a hand-picked team of three mercenaries in search of a priceless lost artifact, and the winner keeps the artifact and gets the bragging rights. Soon, a rogues' gallery of the usual suspects are scrambling to beat out the competition, but there are a few wild cards in the deck . . .
Review: How much you enjoy this comic may depend heavily on how much you dislike being pandered to, because everything about this story is full-on fan service even to the detriment of canon. I don't know why this gets to be considered canonical, and I personally tend to hate when writers treat me as so shallow that they put what they think I want to see ahead of serious story concerns. But I'll grant that this is at least fun. A lot of my personal inclination towards forgiving things that would normally irritate me comes from the art style. It's very over-the-top cartoonish in a way that perfectly fits the zany tone of the story, such that none of it feels like it's meant to be taken seriously.
Sure, it makes no sense that Jabba would hire Han and Lando as a galaxy-class elite treasure-hunting team, or that all of the other teams would be composed of precisely the bounty hunter characters we know from the movies. But the point here is to pit a bunch of familiar characters against each other in a no-holds-barred Amazing Race-style contest, and that idea is entertaining enough that I didn't mind how poorly it fits into continuity. It just feels like an elaborate hypothetical. And, as I said, I do really like the artwork (except for the way Meglia draws Han Solo's body hair, which is truly one of the most bizarre things I've ever seen that wasn't meant to be bizarre).
Actually, what gets this story into the biggest trouble is how hard it tries to connect to existing continuity. It ostensibly takes place during the final chapters of Rebel Dawn, even though there's no space for it to exist there, and features additional interactions between (obviously) Han and Lando after their big falling-out, but also between Han and Bria Tharen, which, again, it really shouldn't. And yeah, this is fertile ground for some interesting character drama, but that doesn't mean it's a good idea if it doesn't fit the previously-established narrative.
As I said, these quibbles aren't that hard to ignore, and there's plenty of surface-level entertainment here. Enjoy it for what it is.
B
Background: Underworld: The Yavin Vassilika was released in November 2001, and collects the five-issue series (December 2000-June 2001). It was written by [a:Mike Kennedy|18523|Mike Kennedy|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] with art by [a:Carlos Meglia|18522|Carlos Meglia|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1579797567p2/18522.jpg]. Kennedy also wrote the Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan adventure The Aurorient Express and a couple other small things. Meglia did the art for one story from Tales.
The story is (technically) set a few months before the Battle of Yavin. The main characters are Han, Chewbacca, Lando, Bossk, IG-88, Zuckuss, 4-LOM, Dengar, Greedo, and Boba Fett. Jabba the Hutt also plays a major role. The story is set on several different planets, including Tatooine, Mon Calamari, and (of course) Yavin IV.
Summary: Three bored Hutts agree to settle a disagreement over who has the best business strategy with a wager. Each Hutt will send out a hand-picked team of three mercenaries in search of a priceless lost artifact, and the winner keeps the artifact and gets the bragging rights. Soon, a rogues' gallery of the usual suspects are scrambling to beat out the competition, but there are a few wild cards in the deck . . .
Review: How much you enjoy this comic may depend heavily on how much you dislike being pandered to, because everything about this story is full-on fan service even to the detriment of canon. I don't know why this gets to be considered canonical, and I personally tend to hate when writers treat me as so shallow that they put what they think I want to see ahead of serious story concerns. But I'll grant that this is at least fun. A lot of my personal inclination towards forgiving things that would normally irritate me comes from the art style. It's very over-the-top cartoonish in a way that perfectly fits the zany tone of the story, such that none of it feels like it's meant to be taken seriously.
Sure, it makes no sense that Jabba would hire Han and Lando as a galaxy-class elite treasure-hunting team, or that all of the other teams would be composed of precisely the bounty hunter characters we know from the movies. But the point here is to pit a bunch of familiar characters against each other in a no-holds-barred Amazing Race-style contest, and that idea is entertaining enough that I didn't mind how poorly it fits into continuity. It just feels like an elaborate hypothetical. And, as I said, I do really like the artwork (except for the way Meglia draws Han Solo's body hair, which is truly one of the most bizarre things I've ever seen that wasn't meant to be bizarre).
Actually, what gets this story into the biggest trouble is how hard it tries to connect to existing continuity. It ostensibly takes place during the final chapters of Rebel Dawn, even though there's no space for it to exist there, and features additional interactions between (obviously) Han and Lando after their big falling-out, but also between Han and Bria Tharen, which, again, it really shouldn't. And yeah, this is fertile ground for some interesting character drama, but that doesn't mean it's a good idea if it doesn't fit the previously-established narrative.
As I said, these quibbles aren't that hard to ignore, and there's plenty of surface-level entertainment here. Enjoy it for what it is.
B
wyrmbergmalcolm's review
5.0
I remembered enjoying this last time I read it, and had great fun with it again. The vibrant and fun artwork complements the equally vibrant and fun story. Not quite a farce, but certainly humorous. There’s great interplay between the famous bounty hunters, rogues and scruffy-looking nerf herders. The character of Greedo is very different to the short-lived screen version, one who is much less cocky and still green, erm , about the ear, uh, things. The plot does get convoluted, but it’s supposed to and is all the more fun because of it. This is also suitable for younger readers.
ultimatecryptid's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Decent comic, has some fun worldbuilding implications
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